Wingtip Vortices Reduction

[Callum]

This is a completely unfounded idea, so please shoot me down nicely. I am not an aerodynamics pro.

If you were looking at one side of a rear wing, you would see a vortex running in a clockwise (or anti-clockwise) direction depending what way you were looking at it.

These days most of the exhaust pipes are directed above or below the wing. If you were to put turning veins in the exhaust so that the exhaust gases were turning in the opposite direction of that particular vortex do you think that you could partially cancel the vortex, decreasing drag?

Basically you'd be using the energetic gases of the exhaust to cancel out the wingtip vortex.

Any thoughts??

[wesley123]

could be possible but i think it would have bad aero aroudn the exhaust and onto the rear wing. The vortex could be stopped but you have a new one running towards the wing, overall it would have a negative impact

[Mystery Steve]

Hypothetically, it could be done, but if you want to minimize vortices then it would be much easier to work with the end plate design. It just wouldn't be practical, especially with the current high wing regulations, because you have to somehow route the exhaust gases to that location. This complicates the composite design, and other materials would have to be used which would likely be heavier, or much more expensive. You also have to consider the implications on the engine performance with that setup since it wouldn't be as free-flowing as the current designs. You'll also add some drag with the duct work, which would offset any drag gains by reducing vortices.

Also, I'm not sure how well it would actually reduce drag. Yes, if you assume superposition of two equal strength and opposing vortices then they will cancel. The actual flow would be more complicated than that. I don't know if you can assume straight superposition with geometry that complicated. I'd have to do a search to see if there is any publicly published research on the subject. I doubt it, though, since the aircraft industry wouldn't be able to use this and any racing teams wouldn't publish that type of data.

[Ogami musashi]

Counter cancel vortices did work well in tests for planes but it is practical because wake is miles long.

For race cars you would need to have very close cancel and for now it is too hard.

But it could be done i'm sure.

Endplate design is critical too.

But note that the problem is not really the trailing vortices of wings themselves as they tend to move upward, the problem is:

1/Wheel vortices
2/diffuser+ trailing vortices of wings
3/proximity of the ground.